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 The Republic of Mauritius conjures up a tropical paradise of stunning beaches, turquoise lagoons and emerald green sugar cane fields against a backdrop of volcanic mountains. The island was uninhabited until the arrival of the Dutch in the 17th century. They were followed by the French and the British, who during the colonial era brought workers from India and China and slaves from Africa. Today the island’s population reflects this diverse mix of races and cultures spanning Africa, Asia and Europe, the perfect place for Art of Living to flourish. Indeed one of the many names for Mauritius is the Island of Rainbows.
Because of its strategic position in the middle of the Indian Ocean, it served as a stopping point for the ships crossing the oceans from Europe to Africa and Asia with their precious cargoes of tea and other commodities. As a result, Mauritius is also known as the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean
Over the centuries, visitors, explorers, poets and writers like Bernardin de St Pierre, Baudelaire and Mark Twain have been enthralled by the resplendent nature of the island. Today it is the turn of the tourists. One cannot but help feel the soft embrace of Mother Nature through the music of the ocean waves, the stillness of the mountains, the gentle breeze, the bright sun and lush and abundant vegetation, home to unique species of wildlife. It has to be experienced to be understood.
His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar first came here in April 1997 on a three day visit and the groundwork was already laid for the Mauritian AOL Society to be set up. In fact those who serve on the executive committee today recount how upon Sri Sri’s instructions the society was set up in record time. During this first visit, Sri Sri gave a number of public talks including one at the main lecture hall of the University of Mauritius.
The following year, in June 1998, Sri Sri came again and this visit further consolidated the work began paving the way for the Mauritian chapter to construct its dedicated Art of Living Centre in Wooton, near the town of Curepipe. The land was a donation from the Government with the rest of the cost of the building and compound met by donations and fund raising activities of the AOL members. Those were really hectic days. Sri Sri came to inaugurate the centre in November 2002 accompanied by Swami Satyojata and a team of vedic priests from the Bangalore ashram.
The AOL centre of Mauritius was the fourth to be set up in the world. And happiness and contentment reigned on all faces during Sri Sri’s visit. On the day of the inauguration, the meditation hall was packed out not just with people who had followed the Art of Living course but also with guests from other humanitarian organisations, representatives of NGOs, religious and spiritual leaders. Sri Sri’s presence radiated the joy to them all and his essential message in those precious few days that he spent amongst us in Mauritius was to ‘Make this a spiritual Island.’ To all those present during the inauguration, Sri Sri said again and again, ‘The Art of Living Centre is everyone’s home, open to people from all walks of life, with all mindsets. This is every body’s home.’
And since then the Art of Living Society of Mauritius has grown and is continuing to expand to spread happiness. Part One courses for the adult population are regularly held not just at the centre but also all around the island in towns and villages. So far around ten thousand people have followed the course. In addition, ever since Swami Brahmatej conducted the first Part II course in 1997, Part II courses have been held at least once a year by teachers like Tanuja and Swamiji Suryapad and Swami Swatantrananda. Their presence amongst us brings such fun and joy and such depth to all who are on this path, the Path of Love, of Service and Celebration. Without exception all those who take time out for themselves to follow the courses can witness the transformation in themselves. The stories of dramatically improved health and levels of energy are too many to mention. The greatest evidence of all this, is the happiness beaming on stress-free faces. After the course, many participants speak of how they were able to reduce or even eliminate medication—people with conditions like asthma, arthritis, kidney problems. There are stories of major improvements in skin disorders, better hearing and vision, greater clarity in one’s life leading to improved professional and financial fortune.
In 2002, prior to Sri Sri’s visit Swami Sukhchaitanya came and conducted the first DSN (Divya Samaj Nirvan – the creation of a Divine Society ) course which generated again a wave of participants coming forward offering to serve society by organising courses and service projects.
Also in 2002, the first PRISON SMART courses were conducted in the men’s prison and in the women’s prison. The response from the inmates was overwhelming. The Part I course gave them the outlet to express themselves freely; in that non-judgemental space generated by any Art of Living course, they could examine the mistakes they made in the past and resolved not to repeat them.
Youth Empowerment Seminar
 And with the grace of Sri Sri, since December 2004, the Youth Empowerment Seminar (YES!) courses and All Round Training in Excellence or ART Excel Courses have been held all over the island giving children and youth also a chance to experience a stress free life all around the island; these courses have been run by Versha Pragji with the blessings of Sri Sri. So far around 30 YES and ART EXCEL courses combined have taken place and around 600 children and teenagers have discovered the beauty of living life to the full. Here is a verbatim testimony from a seventeen year old girl sent to a rehabilitation youth centre who wrote this five days after completing the course:
Apart from weekly satsangs (Singing the truth Together), celebrations on festival days like Navaratri and Christmas, members of the Art of Living family in Mauritius, have been taking up volunteer projects over the years by doing regular service to a number of social institutions. These projects are a way of expressing one’s sense of responsibility and love towards others, a way of sharing one’s deep inner happiness. These range from serving meals and meeting and interacting with the elderly in residential homes, donating gifts, sporting equipment, books and school materials and groceries to marginalized communities in villages and hamlets, visiting and donating gifts to shelters for women and children in distress, medical check-ups, the launch of the Art of Living’s 5 H programme with a focus on literacy for adults and children, cleaning up the environment to name just a few.
Today the island has been blessed with five teachers of the Part One course: Satish and Sharda Ramtohul; Leela Oogarah; Kashyap Fowdur and Meera Vayapooree. Versha Pragji from Zimbabwe has been a regular visitor conducting the YES! and Art Excel courses. And in December 2005, a group of volunteers have set off for India to begin Teacher Trainee Courses.
In 2006 as we celebrate 25 years of Art of Living in the world and ten years in Mauritius, the Art of Living Family in Mauritius feel privileged and honoured to have been invited to participate fully in this momentous event in the history of humanity and the planet; it is the start of a new era for our beautiful paradise island. During her last visit to Mauritius, Srimathi Sonia Gandhi said something which touched all of us: ‘Mauritius may be small but it has a big heart.’ To the rest of the world then, with Sri Sri’s grace, we open our hearts and invite you to join us especially on the next visit of our beloved Sri Sri. We hope that with the Grace of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Mauritius can be the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean and become a Spiritual Island, according to Sri Sri’s wish.
I got peace of mind in this course. I really love the way of Versha (the teacher). I slept very well at night. I find peace. I feel really good in myself. The course has brought me something new in life. You teach me how to control myself and how to control my words. At first I was a little depressed and now by the grace of this course, I feel good. I have started to love myself more than at first. I really like what I’m doing and I do more good things. Before I never had somebody to explain to me what is good and what is wrong so when I came here in the centre, I got many people to explain to me, you are one of them. But you have explained to me in another way. I will not forget all the things you have taught me; I will be more responsible in my life.”
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